APLA 2019

Carleton University’s MacOdrum Library was one of the first academic libraries in Canada (without a Faculty of Education) to build a significant graphic novel collection. At the time, developing a sizeable graphic novel collection in a non-Education academic library was largely untried. As an early adopter, or ‘guinea pig’, the process encountered resistance from within the Library and from an academic institution engaged in research intensification. Years on, with the benefit of hindsight and with graphic novels now widely available in Libraries, it’s a good time for reflections of a guinea pig. This presentation provides deliberations on being an early adopter, with insights into early adoption and its accompanying risk aversion struggles. At a time when Libraries are working hard to remain relevant and connected to their users, early adopter narratives are perhaps more important than ever before. Early adopter culture is about opening individuals and organizations to start-up frustrations without the certainty of success. Yet, early adoption isn’t simply about being first-out-of-the-gate and might have more to do with managing expectations and ousting predictable outcomes. Embracing the challenge of change, this presentation seeks to celebrate the guinea pig and the messiness of early adoption.